SUPERMARKET Asda has spent half a million pounds on a temporary store in Ellesmere Port town centre.

But bosses reckon it's money well spent if it keeps customers and staff happy until it opens a massive new store to serve the area in August.

Paul Rowland, who will be manager of the £25m superstore being built on the car park of the former Asda, revealed details of the story behind the temporary outlet in the former Littlewoods.

Paul explained: 'I went to a meeting of the borough council at which our redevelopment scheme was discussed and it became clear people wanted continuity between the old store closing and the new one opening.

'We decided to look at a number of options for that 16-week period.

'Then, as luck would have it, Littlewoods became available and we decided to move in there.

'We wrote to every member of staff at Littlewoods and invited them to interview for us. So it turns out we are taking on the majority of the store's ex-workers.

'We definitely won't make any money out of this but the motivation was looking after our people and customers.'